The field of the present invention is that of weather strip seals and decorative trim for automotive vehicles. More particularly, the field of the present invention is that of a sealing strip extrusion that combines the functions of a sealing strip and a decorative trim.
Automotive vehicles have an exterior sheet metal, plastic or fiberglass body with a plurality of body panels. Virtually all automotive vehicles have movable and/or fixed windows in their side doors. Accordingly, there is a requirement for various designs of weather stripping to seal gaps between one body panel structure and another body panel structure or a body panel structure in a movable or fixed window.
The sealing requirements for a weather strip typically bring about a usage of materials such as EPDM, TPV or TPR rubber or a thermoplastic material. These materials would typically have a durometer somewhere between 40 and 90 shore A to allow the material to properly seal.
Many automotive vehicles also have decorative trim which is pigmented to blend, match, or contrast with the color of the automotive vehicle body panels. This decorative trim is often utilized to conceal the sealing strip since most sealing strips are black due to the high amounts of carbon black used for mixing the sealing material. Typically, the decorative trim needs a glossy finish which can withstand the harsh environmental conditions which exist on the exterior of an automotive vehicle during extreme weather conditions or during high speed travel of the vehicle. Accordingly, most automotive trim strips are made of materials with a higher durometer, that being a harder material.
It is desirable to provide an automotive vehicle trim strip which can function as both a sealing strip and decorative trim.
It is also desirable to provide an automotive vehicle trim strip as mentioned above which can additionally be extruded.
To make manifest the above delineated desires, the revelation of the present invention is brought forth.
In a preferred embodiment, the weather strip of the present invention provides a generally rigid carrier reinforcement which retains the shape of the weather stripping. Although a plurality of materials can be utilized, a metal such as stainless steel is typically found to be preferable. Extruded onto the stainless steel carrier is an ionomer. The ionomer has a black or color surface finish in various degrees of gloss. Co-extruded or carried upon the carrier is an EPDM rubber portion. The EPDM rubber provides a substance with excellent sealing requirements. If appropriate, the EPDM rubber can also have flocking added to reduce friction against moving closure members such as windows.
The weather stripping of the present invention is particularly useful in applications of an outer belt seal and decorative strip along the vehicle door for the movable window which is encased within the door envelope.
The present invention also finds special application in sealing the door frame against the vehicle door opening.
Other features and desires of the present invention can be discovered by a review of the accompanying drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiments.